Stress Relief
by Catherine-Marquette
Summary: Just a one shot about Joey having a bad day and Kaiba making it better.


"Stress Relief"

Honey orbs glared at the customer even as he pasted on a fake smile. The stupid woman was acting like he had any power in this store. Yeah, like he stoked all the shelves and ordered bags. Once again, he repeated that the store was out of paper bags.

He was going to kill them, each and every one of those annoying customers that acted like he should do their bidding.

Sorry, my job isn't to get the cases of soda out that you put into the cart. If a problem arises with your card and I can't fix it, then I'm expected to ask for help even if that means exposing that you OH MY GOSH!- you use a food stamp card. Poor customer service, my ass. Quit yapping on your cellphone, and maybe you'd figure out the self-checkout. Which, by the way, you do by yourself hence the name.

Dragging a hand through his blond hair, he nearly did a victory dance as he spied the clock. Almost closing time! His moment of elation was briefly lived. His small spark of hope that the night might end on a good note died a slow, torturous death. Decked in a trench coat despite the warm seventy degrees stood his personal doom.

Now, at twenty three and nearly five years after graduation he knew better than to think this odd feeling was only anger.

Nope, the anger was still there, after all the guy could be a real prick. However, he picked up on the attraction he felt for his supposed arch nemesis senior year. Mind you, at that time it was purely sexual. Then came the I-Just-Figured-It-Out-Moment- that he kinda liked Kaiba. Not love, which would take time and the ability to get Kaiba to open up. He knew better than to assume that he loved the guy, but he was willingly to give it a shot and figure things out from there.

Nope, you fall in lust, then like, then that like-like that people in high school or younger go on and on about, then actual love.

Anyways, he had been thinking back on that Moment. It had been a rare time that his dad had managed to stay sober long enough to pay the neighbor that was secretly supplying their cable. Then with his dad gone to blow the rest of the money on booze, he channeled surfed right to the uber adorable sight of socially awkward, super genius. Dr. Spencer Reid (1). Watching him made him realize that Seto Kaiba had the social skills of a five year old when it came to people outside the business world. Though, this t.v. character was defiantly a helluva lot nicer then Kaiba, they shared a hint of similarities.

Armed with that knowledge, he realized that all those dog names could be pet names, and all the teasing could be his childish way of flirting. He didn't have a death wish; though, so he kept his mouth shut.

Now; though, Kaiba looked slightly nervous to be standing in a nearly empty grocery store.

"Sir, can you tell me where the pregnancy test are?"

He nearly choked on his own saliva before turning to the teenager staring up at him and smacking gum.

"Um, locked up. The pharmacy is closed."

"Well, can't you open it, this is an emergency?" The girl glared at him as if he were beneath her with her hip cocked and a disdainful smirk on her lips.

"Nope, only the pharmacist can and he's gone."

"Then what good are you," she hissed.

HE HAD HAD ENOUGH, DAMN IT!

"I'm good enough to know what the hell a condom is," he snarled before walking away and straight into Seto Kaiba.

"I want to talk to your boss."

Oh, goodie, she's still here.

"Yeah, maybe ya should talk to your parent's first, then worry about me."

She stomped off without asking to where his boss was or for the store number.

"Bad day?"

"Ya bet, now what ya need," he asked calming down at the unusual softness in the brunet's tone.

"Butter pecan ice cream, animal crackers, pickles, and chips."

"Oh, well that's some combination ya got there," he mused as he tried to recall what aisle had what.

"Mokuba's girlfriend."

"Oh..Oh! She ain't gonna eat all that together is she? That'd be disgusting."

"Wow, something the mutt wouldn't eat," the sapphire eyed male teased casually, his voice holding none of the malice it had back in the day.

"You're different, more relaxed."

"And you look like you want to strangle bunnies."

Laughing he led the CEO around since he was the last customer. "How far along is she? Why are you shopping for her anyways."

"Six months and Mokie is stuck dealing with her emotions. She thinks she's fat and that he doesn't want her. Mind you, everyone heard them have sex an hour before this whole crying jag started."

"Sucks, huh?"

A small smile grace the taller teen's face, "That's right, your sister just had a baby, didn't she?"

"Yeah, she and Tristan are over the moon and I'm just glad I can trust him not to leave her. She named him Katsuya after me."

At the man's quizzical expression, he explained further, "My middle name. Even my name is interbred."

That got him a laugh, a real, robust one that traveled from deep inside. He decided he liked hearing Seto laugh.

"When do you get off?"

"As soon as I get you out of here," he stated playfully as they walked up front.

"Would you like to come home with me?"

Blushing the shade of tomatoes, he shook his head stammering, "I'm not like that…I…well…I don't sleep around."

Shock clouded Seto's eyes before he laughed again. "I didn't mean like that. It's nice talking like this without arguing. I've just begun realizing how lonely my life is, at least back in high school I interacted with a few people."

"You must be on some good drugs, or a damn good massage therapist."

"Hm, no drugs. You're really stressed, you never use to be."  
"I just hid it better."

Silence reigned over them until he clocked out and walked Kaiba to his car. "Come, please, I don't think I can face them alone. She killed my laptop."

"Why? How? Now I've got to meet her," he replied laughing.

"She thought that all electronic devices would cause birth defects so she threw it out the window. I simply told her that if she touches something that belongs to me again, I'd kick her out. She got over that fear quickly."  
"You're a prick, ya know that," Joey teased chuckling.

"You're still a puppy."

"I like puppies," Joey said yawning and surprising both of them as he got into the car.

Quietly they entered the mansion like two kids not wanting to get caught by their parents.

"Where have you been? It sure doesn't take no half hour to buy ice cream," Mokuba yelled looking panicked.

"Sorry, kiddo, that was my fault. I was yelling at a customer."

"Joey!"

He gasped in air after the tall boy, really man now, released him from his bear hug. He looked him over and smiled at the long, still messy dark hair. His eyes are still bright pools of humor and innocence. "How ya holdin' up? I heard how the press has been hounding ya and what not."

"I'm good, but I've been around those vultures my whole life. Why don't you two go watch a movie while I go tell her we have company?"

Next thing he knew, he was in the brunet's arms practically straddling him while kissing his brains out. Whatever movie Seto had put on was droning on in the background while a fire cracked and tossed a soothing glow over them.

"Wow, guess we're interrupting something," Mokuba said cutting through the fog in his head and causing him to nearly jump out of his skin. What the hell was with him tonight? He hadn't seen the guy in years and here he is mauling him and flirting. Dropping his head, he apologized till he was hoarse. Something he would have never done years before.

"No, no, no! Oh gosh, we're so sorry. You must be the puppy that Seto talks about nonstop. He's like a broken record always complaining about how his puppy got away and he should have said something sooner.

"Lea, shut up," Seto hissed as Mokie giggled like a school girl.

Finally, Joey looked up at the girl. She couldn't have been no more than seventeen, maybe eighteen, with long, sleek black hair and warm blue eyes. She was beautiful and glowing.

"You look fantastic, I never would have guessed you were six months along," he gushed watching her face light up before she kissed his cheek and dragged Mokie back upstairs.

"She's a bit enthusiastic, huh," he muttered as Seto's nimble fingers begin massaging his neck. He was practically purring with pleasure.

"Having to face this scandal opened my eyes. My image doesn't mean a damn thing if it hurts those I care about. The only reason I found out was because her parents called me blaming me for raising Mokie wrong. He was afraid to tell me himself."

"Mokie's great. You did great with him," he mumbled quietly as his eyes drifted close.

"Thanks."

His head was tilted up and soft lips ghosted against his allowing him to run if he wanted to. However, he was content to stay so he pressed his lips firmly against Seto's. "She had an engagement ring," he comments idly as he shifts so he can curl up against the brunet better. "Weddings are fun. Ren's and Tristan's was a blast, well, besides ma not talkin to me. But I bet Mokie's will be great."

"Wonder when he planned on telling me the news. She was ring less when I left." Hurriedly Joey leans up to capture Seto's lips in order to distract him. Slowly the brunet relaxes.

Who knew kissing would be so good at relieving stress.


End file.
